Just an old Ponytale, Untold Stories
by EternalShadow54
Summary: The untold stories of the original fanfic "Just an Old Ponytale..." from the other views of ponies who I never really explained what happened to them... I will explain reader requested ponies if I can, but I am going to explain a few main ones first before I do all that...
1. Rarity, part 1 of 2

**Just an Old Ponytale...**  
**Rarity, part 1 of 2-**

_'These events take place between the time of Rarity departing for some supplies in chapter 3 to the day before her first search from the hospital somewhere between chapters 4 and 5.'_

The fashion mare arose from her slumber, the irritating bombardment of her dear friend Twilight a day or so ago still fresh in her mind. Rarity shifted her body to the side, lifting herself up from her bed, straightening the sheets while the rain outside continued to pour. "Huh..." she muttered. "I figured Rainbow Dash or another pegasi would have cleared the skies by now..." After fixing up her area of sleep, the white unicorn proceeded downstairs, her mind set on the weather more than that of her still present guest, who was passed out on the floor beside her sister. "Sweetie Bell!" Rarity stated with authority. The small filly rubbed her eyes lazily as she yawned, trying to wake herself up so she could pay attention to her older sister.

"Yes Rarity?" the filly said with a yawn. "What is it?"

"I'm stepping out to get supplies. Appearently this storm is going to last longer than expected." The fashion mare threw a scarf around her neck as she put on a stylish raincoat of her own design, her saddle fixed with an umbrella. "I'll return in about an hour. If Twilight wakes up within that time, do please tell her she is welcome to stay as long as she wants." Rarity turned the knob of the front door and stood at the entrance, waiting from an answer from her younger sister. The filly shook her head and looked at her with groggy eyes.

"Alright. I'll be sure she gets the message." Sweetie Bell said with a hash voice, the affects of just waking up still wearing off.

"Good. I shall return." That being said, she closed the front door of her boutique and set out for the Ponyville market, the weather granting that she would probably have to make a side stop at Sugarcube Corner if nopony was attending the market, which was more than likely considering the conditions. The wind slightly picked up as she stepped from the front of her shop, the air outside containing a musky scent within. "That's wierd..." she said to herself, now on her way towards the middle of town. Continueing against the wind grew easier as Rarity soon became used to the resistance, the air around stale with the scent still as strong if not stronger.

As she reached the inner parts of the town, she took quick notice to the barriers placed on the doors of many buildings, most of the glass from windows of the residents broken and littered in the lifeless streets. Curiosity got the best of the mare as she decided to confront the reason behind this monstrosity against home decor, knocking on the door of a random building to ask why all the houses looked as though they were deserted. No answer. Rarity knocked again, this time giving her soon to he host or hostess a little more time to answer the door, knowing that they were probably busy doing something else. No answer.

"Hello?" the unicorn called, standing out in the rain as it continued to pour down upon her. There was no reply. Rarity tilted her head to the side, leaning over to peek through a broken window and see inside. After another minute or two of waiting, she decided that they must not be home. The rain was starting to come down with great force now, the wind howling as she fought her way towards Sugarcube Corner, every house and shop she passed having the same barriers with the exception of one or two not even having a door anymore. She wasn't scared. In fact, she was completely oblivious to all the signs, more curious and confused than anything.

"Where is everypony?" the violet maned pony asked herself, the stench stronger than ever. She used her hoof to cover her nose as she coughed. "And what is that awful smell?" Suddenly, she heard faint hoofsteps coming in the distance. The rain let up and the wind calmed a bit when she turned to see Ms. Cheerilee galloping straight towards her. "Ms. Cheerilee!" Rarity called. "Where in Equestria is everypony?" The school teacher stopped in front of the Element of Generosity , panting as she gathered her breath and thoughts to speak.

"The... infected... coming... after... have... to... run..." Rarity lifted her brow towards the teacher.

"Now calm down." she told the frantic and exhausted mare. "What infected? Run where?" Ms. Cheerilee shook her head, taking in a deep breath before she explained.

"The infected ponies that started ravaging ponyville about a day ago." Rarity's jaw dropped, a sudden realization of the severity this proposed. The school teacher continued. "I was sent out by my group to gather supplies. While I was gathering food from an underground storgage, the roof collapsed under the water pressure. I was barely able to escape, less said for the food, but when I stepped outside, there were three of those monsters waiting for me. I thought I was done for, until a soft colored pegasus swooped by and knocked herself into one of the three, giving me an opening to run." The unicorn was hanging upon every word while the mare carried on with her story.

"I tried to help the pegasus in return, but she had already been bitten..." Rarity held up a hoof to indicate her to stop.

"Who was it that saved you?" Cheerilee looked slightly perplexed by the question.

"I can't say I remember her name, but she was a soft yellow with a pink mane, her voice of that like a quiet angel. I believe her name was... Fluttershy, though I never really got to know her, she being so kept to herself and all..." The white unicorn stood before the teacher with her eyes wide open, the thought of her friend becoming what sounded like an abomination simply overwhelming to that of an already over-dramatic drama queen.

"Anyways..." she continued. "After she flew off in some direction, I myself ran from the remaining two. I galloped until I ran into you and... Well, you can guess the rest." As she finished, a sense of fear for her other friends filled Rarity.

"What about Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash! Are they alright?" Cheerilee shrugged.

"Can't say. Niether one of them were in my group when I left." The unicorn gazed upward towards the sky.

"You were telling the truth all along..." she said, thinking back to what Twilight had explained to her. A low grumble could was only just audible, the two standing in the middle of the streets both tensing up as they heard the noise.

"I think it best if we carry on towards the hospital. I hear that there's another stonghold there and they are working on a way to fix this." The unicorn looked at her in confusion.

"Why don't you head back to your group?" The growling from behind the teacher became a bit louder.

"That's why. C'mon, before they catch up to us." Cheerilee started galloping in the direction of the hospital, leaving Rarity in a state of shock.

"So, if what Twilight was telling me was true, then that means both Fluttershy AND Applejack have been infected..." She started to cry. "Applejack... Fluttershy..." Her light sobs were cut short by the increasingly loud growls and a yell from her new survival partner, Cheerilee. She snapped out of her trance and proceeded to follow the mare, giving no thought to return home and check on both her friend and her sister.

* * *

When the two reached the hospital, they were met with locked doors. Cheerilee started banging relentlessly on the glass-like doors while Rarity turned her attention back at the city below, completely lifeless and gloomed over by the dark clouds above. After a while of listening to her 'partner' slam her hooves on the doors, the two were finally able to gain entrance into the building through comfirmation that they had not been bitten. Upon entering however, they were still examined from head to hoof by Nurse Redheart, just in case.

"Sorry, but you can never be too careful..." the nurse started to explain.

"No trouble. We understand." The teacher answered for the both of them. The medical mare nudged her head to the side, the indication of which was commonly used to mean 'follow me'. As Nurse Redheart lead the two down the hall of the multi-story building, passing by many rooms containing within sick and injured.

"We've been having a major spill in of patients since the outbreak." the nurse started as she continued to show the ponies down the dim corridor. "Many of which were stallions and mares who were already bitten." When the reached the end of the hallway, the medical mare turned to face the two ponies. "You two can stay in exchange for a little help around here. Celestia knows we need it since the loss of the doctor..." The nurse glares off in a different direction, her voice trailing as she finished the sentence. Cheerilee lets out a faked cough as to regain the mares attention, which it works like a charm. "Oh... yes.. Well, do we have an understanding you two?"

Rarity stared at the nurse, the only thoughts going through her mind those of her remaining friends and their fates. Suddenly, she gasps, thinking back to Twilight and her dear sister Sweetie Bell. "I have to go!" the unicorn yells as she turns to head back for the front doors. Her advance is quickly stopped by that of the teacher right beside her.

"Whoa there, what's the rush?" Ms. Cheerilee asks, holding Rarity's shoulder with her foreleg. "We just got here."

"My sister! My friend! I have to know if they're alright!" The unicorn says as she brushes the hoof away, a small tear forming in her eye. Just before she gallops off however, the nurse says something that catches her attention.

"We send search parties out everyday to find loved ones of the ponies inside. It's part of the things you can do to help out, if that's what you would prefer..." The fahion pony only stood there, frozen in place as she considered her options.

"Alright..." she finally stated, turning back around with a single tear stream falling from her eye. The other two took a sense of pity upon the mare, Rarity and Cheerilee now being lead to their area of stay by the nurse. The three continue up the stairs of the medical facility, the power growing dimmer with each floor they climb.

"You two will be staying at the far end of this floor." Redheart states as they reach the third floor. "Food is on the first floor and there are maps on the walls if you get lost..." Bidding the kind mare goodnight along with a thanks, the two exhausted ponies head towards the end of the hall to find a few old sleeping bags laid out across the floor, one of which that was occupied already.

Rarity chose the most elegant looking bag, which so happened to just be a purple one, and began settleing herself in, her survival partner taking the fluffiest one she could find and wrapping herself as cozy as she could before she turned to a deep slumber. The unicorn gazed up at the ceiling, a few memories of her dear sister returning to her mind as she tried thinking of happier days. "Twilight won't let anyhting happen to little Sweetie Bell... I just know she won't..." she whispered to herself as she closed her eyes, the dreams of better days taking her over.

* * *

When she awoke later on that day, the other sleeping bags were filled with other ponies, Nurse Redheart being in one right beside her. She looked towards where Cheerilee would be, but she was gone. With a bit of confusion, Rarity stood up and carefully eased herself by the group around her, trying her very best not to wake anypony. When she was clear of the small jumble, she started making her way towards the staircase. As she approached, she heard a soft whimper in the distance, echoing from below as it was just heard by her ears, the still pattering rain from outside making it slightly tougher to do so. The mare continued downward, moving from the third floor to the second, and then down to the first where the soft crying was strongest.

Rarity started walking down the long stretch, the sobbing growing louder with each step. As she came to the front of the hospital, the mare noticed the direction of the whimpers coming from behind the front desk. She looked over, seeing before her a broken Cheerilee huddled up in a ball, crying into her forehooves. She didn'y want to speak, to disrupt her, but for some reason, the words slipped out.

"Ms. Cheerilee...?" Rarity muttered. The instant the 'Ms' left her lips, the tearful mare nearly jumped out of her coat.

"Oh dear Celestia..." The teacher said with a frantic tone, clenching where her heart would be. "Rarity, I didn't notice you there... Please don't sneak up on me like that..." Cheerilee calmed herself as she regained her composure. "How can I help you?" The velvet maned mare looked at her survival friend with a sense of composure.

"I think the better question, my dear, would be how can I help you?" She gazed into the tear stained eyes of the broken teacher, a feeling of pitty enveloping her. Cheerilee seemed reluctant, but she took a deep breath before began to explain herself.

"I probably look a mess." she said before she got to the point. "It's just... well, it's about my friends... I don't know how they are either, just like you, but I also worry about the children..." She took one more breath. "I... I wasn't able to save Silver Spoon..." Cheerilee sort of choked a bit as she said it, her throat somewhat dry. "I had to watch those monster infect that poor filly... and I couldn't do anything..." The mare started weeping again. "I just couldn't..." Rarity felt the very pit of her heart sink as she listened, the feeling of watching a filly become one of those monsters surely a horrible experience.

"It's alright Cheerilee... it's not your fault..." The unicorn was taken by surprise as the teacher wrapped her hooves around her.

"Thank you Rarity... for listening... I needed that..." the mare shakily whispered, a few more tears rolling from her cheeks before she stood up. "Shall we return to our beds?" Rarity gazed deeply into the sorrowful eyes of a once cheerful teacher of children, and almost found herself crying as result. After taking a dry swallow, she faked a smile and nodded, following the mare before her back up to their sleeping quarters to rest up for their first search tomorrow...


	2. Rarity, part 2 of 2

**Just an Old Ponytale, Untold Stories...**  
**Rarity, part 2 of 2-**

_'The events that take place occur during chapter 5, when Rarity leaves out on her first search for survivors and supplies like food to the time of her finding Twilight at the bottom of the cliff in the start of chapter 8. The point until her death is depicted within the main story itself, and therefore will not be described to assure there is no repitition.'_

There was little bustle within the establishment, the regular search group preparing to head out like they had done for two days time. Rarity felt out of place, like school kid who was trying to teach among university teachers. The atmosphere was a bit dreary, the party knowing exactly that they were risking their lives for that of other ponies survival or benifit, the price of failure or stupidity resulting in death or worse, infection. The fashion mare was standing in the mist of the small group of about three, her supplies already pre-packed by one of the others. "I'm sorry, but I just don't think I'll be very much help out there..." the unicorn sulkfully muttered to the pony beside her, who just so happened to be Roseluck. The mare took notice of the pony at her side, staring at the floor in a rather sad manner.

"It's alright Rarity, it's not like any of us here are professionals or anything. In fact, this is my first search as well." the rose red mained mare said as she set the last part of the first-aid kit into the left of the saddle bag, latching that side securely with a leather strip. The velvet maned unicorn glanced at her with a surprised look on her face.

"So I'm not the only one doing this for the first time?" she asks the mare still putting a few various materials into the other side of the bag, a bit of self confidence returning. Roseluck looked at Rarity with a smile.

"Nope. This infection has only been around for a few days. Unless you were prepared for something like this, I don't think anypony would actually be professional anyway." the red maned mare stated, a chuckle escaping her lips. "In all honesty, I don't think anypony was ready for something like this."

"Well..." Rarity suddenly thought back to when Twilight tried to explain what had happened, and how she blatenly ignored her friends warning. Roseluck squinted her eyes as she peered at Rarity's statement.

"Well what?" she asked, the white unicorn quickly snapping back from her thoughts.

"Oh nothing. I was just... wondering about a friend of mine..." she said as she gazed off.

"Aren't we all..." Roseluck said with a sigh, latching the other side of her now full bag of equipment. "By the way, where's Cheerilee?" she asked. "Wasn't she going to join us?" Roseluck added, grabbing her saddle bag of fresh supplies and placing it on her back. Rarity glanced away as she spoke.

"She... had a bad experience..." she states with a fading tone. Roseluck looked confused, but found it best not to ask. "Anyways, she decided to help the the staff. Did you know she took a class in medicine in her younger age?" Rarity continues, trying to change the subject.

The mare grined as she answered the question. "She was one of my best friends in school as fillies. Cheerilee was always on about helping ponies, so it only makes sense, but her talent was in teaching children, not helping the sick." The bustle grew as everypony was now ready to head out. "It's time. Are you ready Rarity?" Roseluck inquired as she turned and faced her new survival partner, who seemed a bit nervous, to say the least. The red maned pony couldn't help but laugh a bit. "Don't worry, I'll protect you. I promise." Rarity seemed to take the statement the wrong way.

"I appreciate the gesture, but I can take care of myself, thank you very much." Her mood was certainly back to normal, and the burst of confidence was certainly not a bad ting, but Rose Bud didn't appear to be too happy about this fact, considering she knew how Rarity was normally. Regardless of the situation of both being new to this, the two decided it best to pair up, leaving the other two ponies to do the same.

As the four of them stepped outside, the rain continued its unrelenting force upon the small town of Ponyville, the city below nearly deserted and left in ruins from an afar view. "Isn't that a pretty sight." Roseluck joked, the sarcastic tone unnoticed by the white mare as they head off into the town aimlessly.

"Pretty? Why I'd hardly say. I mean, just look at all this mud! And all those beautiful establishments ruined by tacky boards and broken windows." Rarity seemed to just shun everything she glanced at, the sight appearently unbearable to her fashionable eyes.

"It's called sarcasm..." the red maned mare bluntly stated, the irritaion ignored by the unicorn and her unceasing rant about everything while they pressed on. All the buildings started to look the same, the only variation being that of small details of color or structure. The two felt as though they were wondering a maze at this point, both questioning what they would do if the situation of an encounter with those beast did occur. Suddenly finding themselves in the middle of town, the storm began to grow quite heavy, most of the outside market stands already drenched through and falling apart.

"And don't even get me started on how wet I'm getting and what it's doing to my bewitchingly stylish mane. Speaking of which, aren't we supposed to be looking for survivors or supplies or something?" Roseluck placed her hoof in her face. Never had she heard such complaining from one pony, and much less expected to be stuck with them for an extended amount of time.

"Let's just check this place..." the earth pony groans, a great agrivation burning within her as they head into a small building that was once a magnificent floral shop. Upon entering the ruined area, they notice a few splatters of crimson liquid stained on the walls, an awful stench filling the room.

"By Celestia, what is that horrible stink?" Rarity chokes out, gagging on the foul odor.

"That my friend..." Roseluck ssaid with apathy. "Is the stench of death..." The unicorn rolls her eyes as she casually sways around the room.

"C'mon now my dear. That just simply can't be what that terrible smell is." Just as the words leave her mouth, she stumbles across a most unsettling sight. There lay a motionless corpse of what appeared to be a stallion right behind a few large vases of decayed flowers. Rarity lets out a loud screeching scream as she turns around and crashes into her partner, who was now holding her hoof across the unicorn's mouth to keep her quiet.

"Shhhhhh! We don't want that to be us, now do we?" With terror in her eyes, Rarity slowly shakes her head. "Good." Roseluck steadily lifts her hoof from her friends mouth and quickly scavanging for items of interest. The white coated mare couldn't help but to keep her sight in that general direction, the gruesome image never leaving her mind as her partner finished ransacking the place. "I think we have seen enough for one day..." the earth pony states, grabbing Rarity's shoulder and bidding her to follow. "I think you need to rest..."

* * *

That night, Rarity couldn't get that wretched image out of her mind. She sat there on the roof of the hospital, everypony else now in their sleeping bags while the rain continued to pour on her. The drops of water softly pattering on the concrete roof somewhat seemed to calm her nerves.

"That poor stallion..." she started saying to herself. "That... fleash ripped body... the blood stained coat... the... the..." Bringing herself to remembering such a horrific sight almost appeared overbearing enough in itself, much less having to say those thoughts to confirm her them. Almost bursting into tears, the mare quietly sulks, the thoughts of her sister being out there with those monsters was border-line inconcievable to her. "What if... Sweetie Bell didn't make it..."

With a small chuckle, Rarity looks up towards the city once more, the same gloomy appearence that was metioned earlier still applying to now. "Don't be absurd! Twilight will take care of your sister and not let one of those terrible monsters get hold of her." Her optimism was dimishing as she then thought about her other friends, her parents. "I... really hope everypony is OK..." With tht being said, Rarity decending back down the stairway into the medical facility, her sleeping bag from the night before reserved just for the white mare. Laying her head down to rest, the last thing that goes around in her mind was the smiling face of her younger sister. "How I miss you..." she sniffles with a tear as she allows herself a well deserved rest.

* * *

"Ready for another day of searching Rarity?" her friend from yesterday asked with a sarcastic smile. This particular morning was rather rough on the surviving group of ponies at the hospital, a few of their patients turning on them during the middle of the night. "How about that sudden uproar last night? That was quite a doozy..." The unicorn beamed a most intense and furious look towards her as she replied.

"We lost three good ponies during that disturbance, one of them being Cheerilee! How can you be so... so..." She was suddenly about to explode in anger.

"Insensitive?" Roseluck finished for her, her grin never leaving and her tone unchanging.

"I was going to say incompetent, but that shall suffice as well..." Rarity states with her snout in the air.

"Look, what do ya want me to say?" the earth pony asks, a bit of indication that the question was rather rhetorical. "Sure, Cheerilee was my childhood friend, and I am gravely saddened by her inexplicable death, but we have to see past that. I know it might be hard for you considering you've probably never had to go a funeral of a close family member, but if we let this get to us, we might as well just leave the doors open and tear down the barriers." Every word that was spoken seemed to go through one ear and out the other with Rarity.

"I think I can handle the search on my own today..." the white mare state, grabbing her saddlebag and heading for the exit.

"I'm coming wheather you like it or not." Just as Roseluck stood up to go, Rarity turned and gave the most serious look that anypony could have ever given to somepony else while she spoke.

"I said I could handle it..." she sternly proclaims, the sense of anger around her becoming more clear to Roseluck by the second. The earth pony hesitantly sat back down and watched as her angered friend stepped outside into the rain and head off on her own, the rage within her obviously going to be a distraction to the job she was supposed to do.

"I think it would be best if I stay away from here from now on..." Roseluck muttered under her breath. "She'd be nothing but a distraction anyway..."

As Rarity started down the road back towards the city, she had a strange urge to go along the towns edge, like something was telling her that there was going to be something important happening there.

Just before she was withing hoof steps of being inside Ponyville, a loud comotion to the right caught her attention, though the sounds of which were rather low with the weather and all. Through a light haze, she could see a small blip of purple on top of a rather highcliff, the geographical structure of Ponyville never really understood by the mare. Peering ever harder to make clear of the figure, a sudden spark went off in her mind. "Is that... Twilight!" After a few seconds of staring at the unidentifiable blip, the unicorn finally decides that it could be nopony else. She starts galloping along the path to meet with her on top, but to her great surprise, she watches as the lavender figure starts falling to the ground, landing with a rather loud thud.

"No..." Rarity whispers to herself, the sure thought that it was, in fact, somepony that jumped was unbelieveable enough, but having great assurence that it was your best friend? She hurries off to where the body had landed, her energy quickly spent due to prior exhuastion and lack of rest. As she approached around the area, a few trees along the area and the heavy rain providing no help in locating the body, she started calling out, using Twilight's name as though that was surely who had fell.

"Twilight!" she called, hoping for some kind of response as she continued the search. "Twilight!" After a few minutes of what seemed like a pointless treasure hunt, the mare finally finds what she is looking for, to her great misfortune sadly. "Twilight!" Rarity jumps as she finally finds the body and confirmed the identity, but as she looked at her friend, she noticed the awkward positioning of how she must have landed. The mare rushed over to her friend, watching as she glared blankly, her mind looking completely wiped. "Twilight?" There was a loud crack of thunder, the sound of which nearly made Rarity jump out of her coat. Quickly composing herself, she peered back at the now closed eyes of her purple friend.

"No, no, no!" the unicorn yelled, throwing Twilight on her back. "I will not have you die on me!" The lavender mare was heavy to the fashion pony, but a sudden burst of strength flowed through Rarity, either sheer determination to save her friend or not wanting to stay out in the weather being the main cause of which.

It wasn't long before she came busting through the front doors, yelling out for somepony to help her. "Nurse Redheart! I've got a live one!" The nurse hastefully rushed along with another medical professional and placed the broken mare on a stretcher, Rarity left standing there and wondering her fate as they carried her to a room. "I hope she's alright..." the unicorn whispers to herself, sitting down in the main room and waiting for somepony to tell her to move, or otherwise bring her news on her friend...


	3. Big Mac

**Just an Old Ponytale, Untold Stories...**  
**Big Macintosh-**

_'The events that take place happen at the end of chapter 12 when Twilight arrives at the Apple family's farm to the start of chapter 13 when Big Mac returns from a very unsuccessful supply search.'_

"Sounds like you've had it pretty rough Twilight." the red stallion commented as she finished explaining all that has happened, leaving out a few rather important details in her own defense. Twilight figured it best that telling them how this all came to be would only cause more harm than good at this point. "So... they even got Rarity, huh?" Big Mac continued, the small group around the lavender mare listening intently on news from the outside, considering most of them haven't even thought of leaving the safety of the farm since this outbreak.

Twilight started naming off all those that she had known to be infected, starting with her dear friend. "Yes. Rarity, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Flutter-" With sudden recognition of what she was doing, Big Macintosh held up his hoof, indicating to her to stop.

"We get it... Most everypony is either dead or infected by now..." He heaved a heavy sigh, the answer known by him to the next question, but he needed assurance. "Even Applejack..." The statement wasn't asked within a questioning matter, but more so of like he had already known, and Twilight's wincing at the mere mentioning of his sister's name was more than enough to convince him. "Figures..."

"I'm sorry Big Macintosh..." Twilight stated with deep sympathy as the stallion stood up and was heading towards one of the beds in the corner of the room.

"Don't be..." he said with a grunt while he laid on the home-made sleeping mat, the group still rather close as he spoke. "Ah kinda already knew anyways... and ah've made peace with the matter." With a rather forlorn look, he continued. "Just... don't tell Apple Bloom, or at least not now. We lost Granny Smith to one of the infected when they burst through the ground..." Big Mac yawned, setting his head down on his forehooves, using them like a pillow. "Good night y'all..." The group returned his good night with that of their own, all except Twilight, who was thinking of what to do...

* * *

A few hours passed, Big Mac now awake from his slumber only to find that most everypony else was now asleep. Observing the room, he notices a darkish colored pony walk by in the hallway, at first impression that it must be Twilight, considering she was nowhere to be found in the room. As he is about to stand, he suddenly realizes that his little sister Apple Bloom had cuddled up to him in his sleep, curled up in a ball and shivering beside him. Very carefully, the stallion eased his way around her, avoiding a few creaky planks in the floor since he knew all too well how light of a sleeper she was. Carefully sliding his forehooves under her head and gently moving out from under her, Big Mac finally is able to pursue the pony, who was most likely Twilight, and possibly figure out what the group was going to do about their current situation.

After a quick search through his own halls, the farm pony finally hears his target. He finds Twilight, quietly sobbing in the corner of the bathroom with the door barely open. Knocking before entering, Big Macintosh steps into the room, a shaky mare before him with the area just under her eyes stained a slightly darker purple from the tears. Big Mac... she states rather surprised, the stallion unsure whether she was just acting, or if she was legitimately startled by his sudden intrusion. I was... just washing up...

Twilight... he says, closing the door behind him. We need to talk... Twilight had slight fear of what he meant by 'talk'. With an uneasy voice, she spoke.

"Y... yes?" Big Mac cleared his throat as he started to speak.

"Listen, ya know all 'bout these infected ponies and how they can be stopped and all right? So I was thinking of letting you lead us, seeing as you're not only the smartest pony here, but also the most organized. Will ya help us?" The lavender mare kind of just stood there, her face in complete dumbfoundment. "Uh... Twi?" the stallion says, waving a hoof in front of the mare. "You alright?"

"Huh, what?" Twilight quickly glanced to her sides. "Yea, I'm fine... just a bit on edge is all..."

"I see... Well, ya know where to find us if ya need anything..." He started out the door, but as he left the small room, he allowed one word to escape his breath. "Leader..." Closing the entrance behind him, he continued towards his home-made bed which Apple Bloom was still sleeping rather lightly on. Laying down beside his only remaining family, he wrapped his hooves around himself, and slept through the night with thoughts of better days...

* * *

"Alright everypony, listen up." Twilight announced as she stood atop a soap box. "Big Macintosh has appointed me leader, and being as such, I believe it's my responsibility to assign a search party for food and survivors." Everypony in the room was dead silent as they now lent their ears to this mare. "I will need volunteers."

"I will!" an all too familiar voice called out. It was none other than Big Mac himself.

"Alright. Anypony else?" Twilight asked as she looked among the rag tag group.

"I will too!" a mare said, stepping up to reveal that it was Berry Punch.

"As will I!" Mr. Breezy stated.

"And me too!" exclaimed Junebug.

"That should be plenty." Twilight said, the group of volunteers not exactly the team she had in mind. 'I guess they're better than nothing...' she thought to herself. "Alright team, head for the front door and I'll give you instructions from there. Everypony else, prepare supply bags for these brave ponies." Stepping down from the soap box, she was quickly confronted by Apple Bloom, the rest of the small crowd setting out to do their specified job.

"Twilight, you can't let my big brother go out there!" the little filly pleaded.

"It wasn't my choice. Besides, the others in that group need him." Twilight argued.

"But what if somethin' happens to him? What if they get him!"

"Please." the mare states with a smile and the wave of her hoof. "If anything, I'd think those zombies would think twice before messing with Big Mac. Well... that is... if they could think..."

"But Twili-" The purple unicorn cut her sentence short.

"Listen. He's probably already got his mind set. I don't see the point in trying to talk him out of it." she argued.

"But-" Apple Bloom stopped herself as she watched Twilight walk away, heading towards the front door. "Big Mac..."

* * *

Alright team, listen up! Twilight said rather firmly as she stood before the group in front of her while they put on the saddlebags that were filled with supplies. It s going to be very dangerous out there and- She was rather rudely interrupted by the stallion beside her, Mr. Breezy.

Yea... we know this... Ignoring his unnecessary comment, Twilight continued.

And we can t live off of cider and apples. Especially when the cider is made of the apples...

Can t be having too much fun with zombies around eh? Berry Punch implied.

So that s why we need you to go out into Ponyville and see if you can find anything that could be of use. Food, equipment, weapons, you name it.

Flower pots can be used for weapons! Junebug stated.

Y... yes... they can... Twilight said, rather confused about the statement. Shaking off the comment, she turned to face the rest of them. Good luck! The group nodded in agreement as they started out the door. Oh, and one more thing! Twilight called out to them. Don t trust anypony! Trust only each other!

"Will do!" Mr. Breezy yelled back, waving his hoof good-bye to her.

"So... where should we go first?" Berry Punch asked, looking at Big Macintosh as the group started off towards town.

"I think our best bet would be to check the nearest gardening shop for weapons and such!" Junebug said rather ecstatically.

"Why didn't we just grab something out of the barn? We was on a farm after all..." Mr. Breezy implied, bringing himself into the conversation.

"Because we don't know what's in the barn. Who knows how many of those things could be in there." Big Mac said, trying to end the the possibility of an argument, seeing as Mr. Breezy was a rather stubborn gentlecolt.

"I'd figured they'd leave after a while, like the ones who chased Twilight up here." the ginger maned stallion started to say, a disagreement almost a sure thing.

"Should we head back and check?" Junebug asked, rather oblivious to what they were supposed to be doing.

"Nope." the farm pony said with a stern tone. "We are out here to look for food and equipment, not search the building right behind the stronghold for infected that may or may not be there." He stopped and turned to look at Breezy. "Is that understood?" With a gulp and a slightly scared look, he slowly nodded his head, a bit annoyed as they continued, mumbling under his breath.

Eventually, the group of four reached their destination, the small city of Ponyville seemingly abandoned of all life, undead included."So..." Berry Punch said, taking a step forward ahead of the group. "What's the plan?"

"Ah say we stick together." Big Mac stated, looking at the other stallion with a glare, knowing he was about to contradict the idea.

"Well, I think that the less time we spend out here, the better off we'll be. I say we split into teams of two." Mr. Breezy says with a false feeling of intellect. Big Macintosh expected no less from him.

"Ah say that we stick together, unless you want to argue out here in the rain." the farm pony says, his look intimidating.

"You know I'd gladly do so, but we have more important matters to attend to." the stubborn stallion said as he started to trot off. "Come Junebug, let's go look in the flower shop for equipment while the other two find food."

"Don't you just walk away from me!" Big Mac yelled at the pony.

"Yay! Flower equipment! Bye Big Mac!" Junebug said as she followed Mr. Breezy.

"Junebug! Breezy!" he called, but they just ignored him as they continued their own way.

"Guess it's you and me then." Berry Punch said, now standing beside the stallion who stood there, dumbstruck by what had just happened. "C'mon. Let's get to searching. If anything, he was right about one thing. The less time we spend out here, the better."

"Ah suppose..." he said, a disheartened and defeated feeling coming over him...

* * *

It didn't take long for the two to search the entire area, considering that most, if not all, the stores had already been searched at one point or another. A few times they thought they had heard strange noises coming from behind a few walls, and even once did they think they heard a distant scream. Stepping outside of a house, Berry Punch looked to the stallion with dismay.

"I think I'm done..." sighing as she spoke. "We've been out here for what seems like forever searching building after building only to come up empty. Not to mention the constant noises..."

"Look, ah understand that you're scared, so if ya want, head on back to the farm. I'll catch up when I find... something..." Big Mac said, waving his hoof at her to shoo her away. She stood there, planting her front hooves firmly into the mud.

"No way! We're in this together! I just wish you'd see the reality of how pointless this seems..." she started to argue.

"Ah'm sorry, but ah don't..." Big Mac said, walking away and heading for the next house. Turning back and looking at the perplexed mare, he stated, "Coming?"

* * *

It's been an hour since their little quarrel, and still they have yet to find anything of use, unless they were actually going to bring back flower pots for weapons. Sitting down inside what was supposed to be their last stop, the two discuss what they were going to tell Twilight and the others. First, however, they were going to find Mr. Breezy and Junebug before even considering returning to the farm.

"Ah still can't believe that stubborn Breezy. Who does he think he is trotting off like that?" Big Mac complains, still sore about the earlier incident.

"Sheesh, you're still going on about that?" Berry Punch implied, thinking he was taking the whole 'split up' thing too seriously. "Yes, it might not have been the wisest thing, but who knows? Maybe he and Junebug found something and has already head back to the farm."

"Sounds just like 'em, to leave us out here wonderin' about 'em" Berry Punch felt that he had got the wrong impression.

"C'mon now... Don't look at it that way. I'm sure they were just like me earlier and just felt like they had gotten their fill of seeing empty houses... or lifeless bodies... or... other things..." She tried to get her point across to the stallion, but the attempt was vain.

"Whatever... Let's just head back... If they ain't there, then good riddance..."

"Big Mac! I... I'm surprised at you! You would just leave them out here?" she blared at him, his own stubborn attitude starting to pester her.

"Eye for an eye..." he coldly stated, feeling that he had made his point. "Let's get movin'..." The mare stomped her hoof into the ground.

"No..."

"What? What did you say?" Big Mac asked, anger now evident from his sudden and sharp tone. There were more strange noises starting to come from the walls around them.

"I said no..." she said with her own hint of fury in her voice. "I'm leaving with the same, kind hearted stallion I came in here with."

"I haven't changed!" the stallion flared, the noises around them growing even louder.

"Horse apples! The Big Macintosh I knew wouldn't even dare think of leaving another pony out alone in a situation like this!" The noises turned into a low rumble, growling from which could barely be heard.

"They'd be nothing but a hindrance anyway!" he retorted.

"Oh yea? And what about Apple Bloom? She'd be nothing but a hindrance too! Would you talk about her this way?"

"DON'T TALK ABOUT MY SISTER LIKE THAT!" he screamed at her from the top of his lungs, throwing his body at the mare and pinning her to the ground. Her eyes grew to that the size of saucers, the confidence she just had leaving her and becoming replaced by fear.

"B... Big Mac..." Berry Punch softly whispered in hesitation as she looked into his eyes, the hatred with him obviously great. She didn't take into consideration the fact that Apple Bloom was the only family he had left. He felt pain, felt despair, but refused to let it show, resulting in an ever growing fire of hatred towards others. He had been able to keep that anger contained, locked away somewhere deep in his gut, but what she said... what Berry Punch had just coldly stated to him about the only pony he cared about anymore...

The fire within him grew brighter and brighter as he stood there, the mare underneath him pinned and helpless. There was a loud crashing behind him, but he didn't pay it no mind. All that mattered at the moment was what she said about his sister. Berry Punch took quick notice of the loud crash, and saw the slow pace of infected as they made way towards the two. In an attempt to get free, she squirmed and tried pushing her way from his grip, but everytime she tried, his grip grew tighter.

"Big Mac! Let go of me! Can't you see the infected behind you!" she yelled at him, still fighting his grip.

"Yes... I can hear them..." The stallions voice sounded rather... calm.

"THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Berry Punch roared at him.

"An apology..." She stopped, and looked at him with a completely blank stare before busting out in a complete outrage.

"WHAT! You're going to hold me down here with infected zombie things right behind you until I give you an apology!" His expression never changed.

"I didn't hear the word 'sorry' in any of that..."

"ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW!" The infected grew closer to the two, the stallion above her not budging a single bit.

"Does it look like I'm playing?" Big Mac coldly growled, his rage slowly building back up as he applied more pressure to his grip.

"Stop Big Mac! You're hurting me!" Berry Punch whined as she felt his hooves dig into her.

"Then say you're sorry!" He pressed even harder.

"FINE! Alright! I'm sorry!" The infected were only hooves away now, yet he didn't release his grip.

"You're sorry for?" the stallion asked, paying the low growls of zombies literally right behind him no mind.

"For insulting you and your sister! Now please let me go!" She felt the pressure of the farm pony's hooves finally lift.

"Apology accepted." Having said that, he quickly rears a back leg and bucks one of the infected behind him right in the face, knocking the other two around it to the ground. "Come on... let's head back..." This time, the mare had no problems listening to him. As the two stepped outside, back into the rain, they heard what they thought to be another distant scream.

"That scream sounds a lot like..." Berry Punch started before Big Mac cut her off.

"We don't have time for-"

"HELP!" the distant voice called. It was all too clear to the mare who the shriek belonged to.

"Junebug?" she whispers under her breath, just loud enough for Big Mac to hear.

"Are you sure?" he asks with a rather suspicious look on his face.

"HELP!" the voice called again. Berry Punch suddenly dashed from her position, heading straight for the origin of the call.

"There's no doubt! It's gotta be her!"

"WAIT!" Big Mac called, but he wasn't quick enough. She was already gone, and he was left standing there, not knowing what to do. 'Should I go after her?' he kept thinking to himself before finally deciding that he had no other choice. "This is going to end badly... I just know it..." With that thought, he set out for the mare, knowing that nothing good was to come from this...

* * *

A few minutes passed as he called out for both mares, the cry of help now gone. "This isn't good..." he told himself, a lack of determination suddenly hitting him. "Maybe it would be best for me to-"

"Big Mac!" another much more familiar voice called. It had to be Berry Punch.

"Berry Punch? Where are you!" he called out, peering through the rain for any indication of life.

"In the garden shop! Hurry!" He quickly dashed to the farthest building, by sheer luck that it was the shop. He hesitantly stepped inside, a rather loud whisper escaping his lips as he called for her.

"Where are you?" he said with his high whisper.

"Behind the counter..." a much weaker voice called. It was still hers, but something about it was... different. Looking over the counter with sluggish pace, he suddenly found himself staring at the mare, bleeding from where there used to be her back left leg.

"Berry... what happened..." he asked with great shock to the situation.

"I got bit... and had to amputate the infected ligament..." Big Mac could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"What about the bandages in your supply bag?" he asked, coming around and carefully putting the mare on his back, the blood from the wound sliding down the back of his coat.

"I used it... on Junebug... but, they jumped us... I made it out... but from what she told me... she and Breezy weren't as lucky..." her voice started to fade.

"Oh no you don't! Don't you quit on me!" he said just as he prepared to step back outside. Just as he did so however, one of the infected crashed into him from the side, a rather sharp pain coming from his flank as it tore into his skin. "GHA!" he screamed in pain, rolling over and knocking the infected pony into the ground. Big Mac could already feel the effects of the bite as he picked up the unconscious mare, slowly but surely dragging her and himself back towards the farm.

"Don't worry Berry Punch... Ah'll get us back..." there was no response from the body on his back, the muscles of which were completely limp. It was a rough trot back, the constant scare of being followed becoming a realization as his house came into view. "Ah guess they picked up on our trail..." he said, crashing down hooves away from the front door. "Come on body, don't fail me now..." Big Mac stated, using his front forehooves to crawl up to the front and knock furiously. The door was answered by none other than Apple Bloom herself.

"Who is it!" the sweet filly voice from inside yelled.

"Who else?" Big Mac answered, a tad bit of sadness in his tone while he prepared to see his sister's expression as she slowly opened the door...


End file.
